This invention relates to a device to be coupled with a computer for reading and writing IC external storage in the form of a card of various thickness having a plurality of exposed contact points.
Recently the so-called IC card has widely been used as a credit card, identification card and for a like purpose instead of a magnetic card. Such IC card comprises a plate, generally made of plastic material, having at least an erasable and electrically reprogrammable ROM which is abbreviated as EPROM and a central processing unit which is often abbreviated as CPU, respectively embedded therein. A plurality of contact points respectively electrically connected with said elements are also embedded in said plastic plate so that the heads thereof are exposed to be flush with the card plate surface.
Such card is inserted into a recess of a corresponding thickness and size so as to be coupled with a computer for reading out stored information and writing in new information. The IC card is made as thin as possible so as to be conveniently carried by the concerned person in the person's pocket or the like. Thus, the card is often warped to prevent smooth insertion thereof into said recess and this causes a bad electrical connection. Furthermore, electrical contacts provided in such recess are often stained with dust and the like.
On the other hand, the so-called RAM pack has been used also as an external storage for the computer, above all for a very small or portable computer, and comprises a block having a random access memory and a battery for holding stored memory contained therein. Generally, the heads of a plurality of contact pins connected with said elements protrude out of said block so as to be coupled with a socket of the computer.